Question about Dan ranks

[bushido_man96]

If you feel someone is a higher rank than you, then bow and address them as sir or ma'am, and just overall be respectful. Leave it to them to tell you otherwise.

[Spartacus Maximus]

As a general rule, be the most polite you possibly can and listen to and follow whatever the lower/less experienced people do. One also cannot be faulted for just asking everyone what they prefer to be called while training at the school. As for everything else within whatever system one chooses, asking is always the quickest way to learn.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Spartacus Maximus

[Lupin1]

To be perfectly honest, I would never study at a school with a master who would get upset with a brand new student for not knowing his rank. A higher ranked practitioner should have the maturity to understand that new students will make mistakes as they are learning and their goal should be to guide the new students to the correct practice. Anyone who would freak out and attack someone who didn't know any better for "disrespecting" them needs a reality check.

[Spartacus Maximus]

Personally never heard of, seen or experienced anyone being penalized or otherwise punished in any way for failing to use proper titles. An instructor can rightly be offended by rudeness or obvious impolite attitudes and behaviour, but not knowing how/what to address them? It does indeed seem strange. After all, who would want to train with people who are so unapproachable?

[MAD Mike]

Within a BJJ Gymnasium I make eye contact. Within my Dojo I bow.

[RW]

I enjoy most aspects of traditional martial arts, 99% of them.

The whole "this guy is your superior and you got to address them with a special reverence" thing is one of the few I don't.

If you join an MMA gym, for all you know you have a guy who will debut in bellator or the UFC next month and you don't even know it, your only interaction with him is when he walked up to you, drenched in sweat and said "hey bro, are you still hitting that bag? Mind if I use it?" or when you sparred and you had no idea how good he was because he went easy on you because he knows you're not part of the fight camp.

There's something awesome about knowing some guy sharing the gym with you, maybe even kicking the bag next to you is good enough to get into the UFC or whatever, yet he is down to earth enough that you'd never know how good he is until he is literally on TV.

[Bulltahr]

I enjoy most aspects of traditional martial arts, 99% of them.

The whole "this guy is your superior and you got to address them with a special reverence" thing is one of the few I don't.

Respectfully, I think that you may be missing something here, higher ranks than you should never be considered "Superior" but rather, your senior. And addressing dan grades by their rank title as it were, is part of the culture of "Traditional karate" which acknowledges your time and dedication to the art.

Just like many other formal institutions, military, government, academia, etc.

Now, how that person acts and treats you is a completely different deal.

If you prefer the more casual environment of a MMA gym then that's fine, but understand that a tradition dojo and a MMA gym are offering completely different experiences. Just check out some of the MMA forums and you will soon pick up the vibe that they have compared with a karate one like KF forums.

[Spartacus Maximus]

It is more a question of respect than reverence or hierarchy. Titles, grades and terms of address mean nothing without respect and recognition of the accomplishments and dedication of others in the martial art one is learning. One shows respect to seniors not just because they are seniors, but because they have been where one wants to go.

[RW]

I enjoy most aspects of traditional martial arts, 99% of them.

The whole "this guy is your superior and you got to address them with a special reverence" thing is one of the few I don't.

Respectfully, I think that you may be missing something here, higher ranks than you should never be considered "Superior" but rather, your senior. And addressing dan grades by their rank title as it were, is part of the culture of "Traditional karate" which acknowledges your time and dedication to the art.

Just like many other formal institutions, military, government, academia, etc.

Now, how that person acts and treats you is a completely different deal.

If you prefer the more casual environment of a MMA gym then that's fine, but understand that a tradition dojo and a MMA gym are offering completely different experiences. Just check out some of the MMA forums and you will soon pick up the vibe that they have compared with a karate one like KF forums.

KF is by far the best forum (of anything) I've seen in the WWW, not just MA.

I don't know why but the vibe here is very friendly, yet casual and relaxed. As you can tell I like it here

[JR 137]

I enjoy most aspects of traditional martial arts, 99% of them.

The whole "this guy is your superior and you got to address them with a special reverence" thing is one of the few I don't.

Respectfully, I think that you may be missing something here, higher ranks than you should never be considered "Superior" but rather, your senior. And addressing dan grades by their rank title as it were, is part of the culture of "Traditional karate" which acknowledges your time and dedication to the art.

Just like many other formal institutions, military, government, academia, etc.

Now, how that person acts and treats you is a completely different deal.

If you prefer the more casual environment of a MMA gym then that's fine, but understand that a tradition dojo and a MMA gym are offering completely different experiences. Just check out some of the MMA forums and you will soon pick up the vibe that they have compared with a karate one like KF forums.

Best post I’ve read in quite a while.